Protective device



INVENTOR.

F.H. MoNTMARQUE-r PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed May 1, 1939 Dec. 16, 1941.

i Fewc/S /m/ /w ATroNEY.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNIT-ED STATES 1 'OFFICE i 'x 2,266,062 -PRo'rEcrrvE DEVICE Francis H. Montmarquet, Little Falls, N. J. Application Mlayl, 1939, Serial No. 270,965

2 onims. (fol. 12s-13s)r This invention relates generally to protective devices intended to support and protect the abdominalparts of athletes and other persons. More particularly it relates to protective devices comprising a relatively rigid hollow protecting member, and means for holding said memberY in place on the abdomen. Y

While devices of this character have been and now are in common use, all of themthat I am familiar with, because of their `many shortcom-V ings fail to attain the optimum ofv effectiveness.

The materials used for the relatively rigidpro'- Vtecting member, which is usually in the form of a shell-shaped cup have heretofore, to my knowledge, been of a character such that when subjected to force they will either be permanently deformed or be shattered, or f-will retain their form and transmit the force to the abdominal portions with which they are in contact. Y

In the first case, once such'deformation has begun, resistance to further deformation is usually destroyed, and with it protective utility; on the contrary the protective cup Ymay become dangerous because the deformed portions may be of such conformation that Vwhen forced against and into the body of the wearer they may serie ously injurehim. As an example of materials that will behave in this manner may be men- .tioned sheet metals that lend .themselves to forming operations by stamping or drawing. Sheet aluminum belongs in this category.

Bakelite is an example of the class of materials that may be shattered. These materials are apt to crush and breakinto fragments which may be caused to-forcibly enter the flesh of the wearer and inict frightful injuries. A v

Tough cast metals are an exampleof that class of materials that cannot be deformed 'and that will transmit force directly to the body. If the force is sufficiently great such materials may cut into the flesh of the wearer.

A further disadvantage that is met with is that such protecting cups require elaborate means for holding them against displacement, because their surface portions are so devoid of frictional resistance, that friction is not suicient to prevent their shifting. Where these cups are not permanently united to the supporting structure, closed pouches or pockets have been resorted to. All of these added complexities increase the cost `of such devices and the inconvenience of wearing them.

Where the protecting cup is made of metal a vso sensation of discomfort is often experienced because of the relatively high thermal conductivity of metals, and where the cup is of drawn or stamped sheet metal, there is often a lack of adequate depth to its contours because of the limitations of the drawing-and stamping processes as applied to sheet metals.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a protective device that is-simple, effective and low in cost. M v- Y It is further amongA the objects of my invention to provide a protectivecup made of a material that is `resistant .but at the same ytime yieldable and also resilient so that it will resume its shape after vordinary deformation, and fur.- ther a material that is a poor conductor of heat, and will have sufficient frictional resistance to resist displacement.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, Imake reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which? 'Figure 1 is av perspective view of: an athletic supporting belt having a protective cup posi tioned therein and illustrating one embodimenty tionof the arrows;

Figure 3 is a" transverse sectional viewQsubstantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows, of a protective cup: 1

Figure 4 is 'a 'section,'on an enlarged scale, through `a piece of material suitable for use in The pocket I5 comprises a body engaging fabric portion It, secured in any suitable or preferred manner to the waistband Vand to the leg bands where they cross each other. Such securingmeans may consist of stitching Il joining the portion IE5Y tothe waistband I 0,- and stitching (not shown), joining the lower end of the piece I6 to the leg bands II and I2.

The pocket I further comprises a piece I8 suitably secured, as by stitching I9, to the piece I6, which in the drawing is shown as extending partly around the piece I8, so as to leave the pieces I8 and I8 unsecured at the top, whereby a pocket is formed into which the cup A may be inserted from above.

The waistband IU'is preferably, although not necessarily, elastic, and the leg bands Il and I2 may also be of elastic material, if desired. The

pieces I6 and I8, in view of their function in.

properly positioning the cup A are preferably non-elastic, and for purposes of ventilationma'y' be of coarse mesh fabric, which has the' ad'dif tional advantage of holding the cup A in place by friction and preventing its lateral shifting.

It is to be noted that I have provided no closure means for the pocket, because I have found that while such means or equivalent is almost indispensable for cups ofthe types used heretofore, it is not necessary where my improved protective cup isused.-

The protective cup A is arched in both-longitudinal and transverse section, as appears from Figures 2 and 3, and is shaped so as to'conform to the body portions to lbe protected.

The preferred embodiment of the protective cup may be described as of'generally inverted-triangular contour with the upper orv base portion shallow, and the cup increasing in depth towards itslower or apex portions; The rim portions of the cup are'turned outward and inward so as to form a-b'ead or a bead-like ange 20 which serves to make the cup more form-retaining and increases its resistance to displacement fromits positioninthe pouch or pocket I5. By'forming this-flange on-a large'radius, as shown, danger of cuttingin'to the flesh is also reduced.

Shallow ribs2l may also be provided for similar purposes, that is to stiffen the device to' retain its'f'orm and to increase its resistance to shifting.

InFigure 4 I' have shown in section, on an'enlarged scale, one type of material, which IA have found suitable for my protective cup in order' to impart to it all of the novel and' desirable properties enumerated hereinabove. In. this iigure five layers of fabric 25 are indicated-in superposed relation andsurrounding them and impregnating them is'indicated' a body of material 26' that is resilient and-form-retaining` under ordinary conditions of use, but that may be rendered plastic for purposes of manufacture when exposed to abnormal conditions of moisture, a solvent or plasticizers for4 the binder with or without temperature, pressurev or other factors alone or in combination;

Among such impregnating substances' may be mentioned. by way of example the modernthermoplastic synthetic plastics; also heat setting and hardening` phenol aldehyde plastics or the older glue sizing which maybe water-proofed, tanned or otherwise insolubilized.

Theif'abric is preferably coarse in texture so as to provide sufficient bodyV and to provide rough exterior surfaces that, when contacting with the fabric of the belt B, will frictionally resist displacement relatively thereto, particularly when the'parts are under stressesk such as pressure or tension.

Itwill be understood', of course, that the showing of five plies of fabric in Figure 4 i's illustrativev merely, and that any number of plies may be used, depending on the characteristics of the particular fabric and the particular impregnating material used. Also knitted fabric may be employed as the fabric reinforcing ply or as a number of plies thereof, or in combination with the woven fabric, to obtain combination plies.

In the process of manufacture the material may be first blanked, then subjected to the appropriate preparatory treatment, such as heating or steepingin water or appropriate solvent or plasticizer, or both, after which it' may be formed in suitable dies or molds. It is then allowed to cool or dry, or both. After the final operations, which may include trimming, a protective coating may be" applied, as by dipping or otherwise, which is preferably-waterproof, heat-resistant and chemically inert. As an example of such a coating Imay-mention Bakelite varnish. When so coated the cup may be washed when desired without deterioration thereof.

In Figure 5 I have shown a cup A mounted in'a beltB' that is similar to the belt B of Figures 1'- and 2, in that-it has awaistband portion I0', leg portions II' and I2' and a fabric portion I6. However, since there is nothing corresponding to the piece I8, there is no pocket into which the cup A may be received. Iv have found that such aV pocket is not necessary to the proper functioning of Ymyfcup, since its properties of yielding under/pressure and its frictional resistance t0 displacement make it effective when it is placed under thepiece I6, and between the same and the skin of the wearer.

It will therefore appear from the foregoing illustrative disclosure that by the novel use of the materials herein described that I have been able greatly to increase' the' effectiveness of protective devices of this character by imparting to them heretofore unknown characteristics.

It will also appear that the resiliency ofthe composite employedv by me makes it possible to use my device in direct contact with the body without cumbersome expedients to protect the edge which have previously been found necessary as by a beading of rubber or edging of cloth.

By my device the bead or flange 20 is of nonfrangible and resilient character offering a wide non-chang, non-cutting edge which dispenses with the need for the more cumbersome and eX- pensive edging expedients heretofore employed. Thus, stiffening action is obtained at the periphery without loss of adequate protection and comfortable resiliency.

B'y my`v device economy is effected in production withtheV unexpected resiliency, non-frangible and non-splintering character of the material, permitting exposure to the intended uses free from the hazard or discomfort experienced with the devices made previous to mine.

Thus the nature of the materials and the ccnto'ur of the devices lends itself admirably to the production of the protective cup having properties heretofore not achieved.

Having thus' described my invention, and illustrated-v its' use, what' I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1`. An athletes supporter and protector, made of' a composite material comprising several plies of fabric' and a suitable resinous substance as a stiening agent, the protector having a main body portion arched in longitudinal and transverse sections and shaped to receive the body part being protected, the edge of said main body portion being turnedoutwardly and reversely and forming an endless trough-shaped border integral and and shaped to receive the body part being protected, the edge of said main body portion being turned outwardly and reversely and forming an endless trough-shaped border integral and continuous with the main body portion and of the same composite material.

FRANCIS H. MONTMARQUET. 

